7 Effective Tips for Studying a Book of the Bible

Starting a study on a book of the Bible is an excellent way to increase your knowledge of the Word of God. Focusing on a specific book of the Bible will help you dig that much deeper into observation, interpretation, and application of God’s Word. These study tips are for those who desire to grow more in the exegesis of the Bible. So, if you’re ready, then let’s begin…

7 Tips for Studying a Book of the Bible:

1. Begin Study Time with Prayer

Just like with most things in life, prayer is always a good place to start. Prayer opens your study time to success by putting your focus on your relationship with God and asking God to help you understand what you read. Your prayer does not need to be lengthy; it can be as long or quick as you want. 

2. Review Context of the Book

To review the context of a book of the Bible, find out who wrote it, who it was written to, why it was written. Consider things like the historical and cultural background. You can view where the book takes place on the biblical timeline to give you an overall picture. A Study Bible is a great resource that will include a lot of this information. 

3. Read the Entire Book 

Once you have a better understanding of the historical background, it is time to read through the whole book. During your first time reading through it, you can do a quick read and don’t have to put much emphasis on interpretation. Consider the general theme. Your focus should be to get the big picture of the book to help you complete the next steps. 

After you read the book, you can reread it to begin interpretation by reflecting on the context and what the passage says. Reading Scripture repetitively is one of the best ways to study the Bible. Rereading a book multiple times improves your understanding and helps catch things that you missed during the first read. Some people like this approach, but it’s not the preferred method for everyone. Repetitive reading is entirely up to you. If you prefer to read through slowly the first time, then go with that method. 

4. Write Observations and Questions

While you read, take note of what you observe and any questions that come to mind. Write things that stick out to you or that you found interesting. Note things that you don’t understand and look up words that you don’t know. It is convenient to have a dictionary and Bible dictionary available for you to look up words. A Bible dictionary is interesting to look through and can lead you to other verses in the Bible that use the same word and help you interpret a verse/passage. 

Other things to write down are themes found throughout the passage. You can list things such as commands and references to God. Anything that stands out to you or that you feel is worth writing down. 

5. Paraphrase or Summarize

When you paraphrase or summarize a verse or passage it helps you to comprehend and retain it, because you are writing it in your own words. You can give the book a quick paragraph summary. Or paraphrase a specific passage or verse. By slowing down to paraphrase you can deepen your understanding.

6. Look for God’s Character in the Passage

Review any notes of God’s character that you observed. If you didn’t note any, quickly go back through to make sure that you didn’t overlook any reference to God’s character. Write down all that you have learned about God. Take time to pause and praise God for who He is. 

7. Prayerfully Think about the Application of the Passage

Take a moment to think about the application of your study. List out the applications of the passage. At the end of your study time, ask God to show you what you should take from this passage and how to apply it to your life. An example of the application can be a command to obey, a sin to confess, an attitude to reflect, a an perspective for a circumstance, or a reminder to trust God. 

Hope these study suggestions inspire you to study a book of the Bible and help you deepen your study of God’s Word. Choose a book of the Bible that you would like to start studying and commit to reading it. Remember to pray throughout your study time. God will open your eyes to amazing things through your commitment and time in His Word!